


What are Friends for?

by vindiya



Series: Tumblr Prompts [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Jane Foster is a Good Bro, Tumblr Prompt, Unresolved Sexual Tension, ask box prompt fill, for: itscoffeefordinner, sexual innuedo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-07
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-05-19 12:18:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14873622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vindiya/pseuds/vindiya
Summary: “She’s my best friend, that hasn’t changed.” Steve murmurs softly putting his coffee down.“It’s clear your feelings for her have.” Sam murmurs his grin growing as he lifts his cup of coffee to his lips.





	1. Steve

**Author's Note:**

> This work is a fill for the prompt: She’s my best friend. That hasn’t changed.” “It’s clear your feelings for her have.” - Shieldshock that itscoffeefordinner sent me on tumblr.

“She’s my best friend, that hasn’t changed.” Steve murmurs softly putting his coffee down. 

The common area isn’t crowded, and most people are more interested in their own conversations to bother eavesdropping on Steve and Sam. If the subject weren’t so personal for Steve, he probably wouldn’t even entertain the idea that someone might be. Or maybe he’d been seeing too many none too furtive glances from Natasha that he’s gotten a little paranoid in the last couple weeks. 

Every time he and Darcy occupied the same space or had a conversation, Natasha was there watching. He wasn’t sure it she was watching out of curiosity or concern. As well as he knew the former spy, Steve couldn’t decipher what that look was supposed to mean. 

It’s just that every moment he’s with Dr. Foster’s assistant it’s like the world melts away for a few glorious minutes. It’s earned him many an elbow in the ribs from Bucky when he’s caught mooning after the girl has left or he returns from getting a sandwich or watching a movie in the common room. Just thinking about it has a slight blush rising to his cheeks and add that she just walked into the room and he tracks her progress from door to coffee machine and he knows he has it bad for the girl. 

A thought that has even more grounds when he sees the grin on Sam’s face. Apparently, he wasn’t subtle about his feelings for the small lab wrangler.

“It’s clear your feelings for her have.” Sam murmurs his grin growing as he lifts his cup of coffee to his lips.

“Yeah but now isn’t the best time to tell her.” He looks out the window the rain drenched balcony outside. It’s the kind of mood that had him thinking of hot chocolate and blankets curled up on the couch in his living room watching whatever movie Darcy liked, his arm around her shoulders. They’ve hung out in that same scenario a few times before and the last couple he swears she snuggled closer. Hands curled against his stomach her fingers brushing against his knuckles. How many times has he thought he should have just held her hand. 

“Why not? What’s the worst she’s going to say Steve, ‘Sorry I’m just not that into you?’” 

“Who’s not that into who now?” 

Steve and Sam both look up. There’s Darcy standing just beyond them but close enough to catch the last of Sam’s words. She’s smiling a cup of coffee in her hand and looking for all the world like she hadn’t just come off a three-day science bender in the labs with Dr. Foster. A feat that Steve wasn’t sure many other non-science types in this place could manage. Even with being awake seventy-two hours straight and with bags under her eyes Darcy Lewis was still the most beautiful girl he’d seen since Peggy. 

“Uh no one. Just someone in HR guess they aren’t very into one of the sergeants.” Steve managed though the grin on Darcy’s face seemed to say she doubted that to be true. 

Her gaze cuts to Sam, “Hey Sam mind if I borrow the Captain here a moment.” Her voice level but the way she tilts her head down and widens her eyes just a fraction says ‘scram Sam cap and I need to have a chat’ and that intrigues Steve. 

“Not at all Darce. Later Cap.” Sam picks up his coffee and walks away from the table whistling as he goes. If Steve didn’t know any better he’d say Sam was laughing at him. 

Darcy plunks herself down in the newly empty chair and takes a sip of her coffee. The cup almost half drained when she sets it down on the table. Guess she really needed it. 

“So, before I have the nerve to talk myself out of it I’m gonna ask you a question. However, given my sleep deprived nature I hope you won’t hold it against me if you find the question offensive or aren’t interested, okay?” 

Confused Steve leans forward, elbows resting on the table as he nods mutely. May as well let it play out before telling her no right. 

“Cool. Question. Would you be interested in going to dinner with me? I’d ask you out to a movie, but we do that already and even being standard date material it doesn’t feel like it’d be special. And technically dinner is sort of a rehash of like the million times we’ve met up for coffee just longer and more chances for me to drop food on the ladies. But it felt less creepy than asking you to an art show in Manhattan or a picnic.” 

She’s rambling, and Steve can’t help the smile. She’s nervous about asking him out on a date when he’s just been wondering if he was crazy. 

“Yeah sure, but can we still go to the art show? 

“Of course, we can. And for the record I was asking you out.” She further explains fidgeting with her coffee cup between her hands. He never saw a cuter expression on her face than in that moment. But the nervous energy coming off her made his heart clench and he smiles at her.

“I know Darce,” Steve leans across the table his hand reaching to brush a thumb over her cheek. “I’m very happy you did.” 

 

 


	2. Darcy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy speaks to Jane about her little crush. Or _big_ crush as it were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So when I originally got the prompt for this fic from itscoffeefordinner on Tumblr I hadn't really anticipated it turning into a kind of short story with mini chapters. I figured it would probably be easiest to write a conversation between Sam and Steve and call it a day. But as I got to the end of the chapter and Darcy appeared I realized I wanted to explore how she came to the decision to ask Steve out on her own when he was having a similar problem and then she beat him to the punch. And here we Jane and Darcy sciencing in the labs and talking about Steve and his biceps of Truth and Justice.
> 
> I'd like to apologize for the long wait for this chapter. Hope you enjoy.

"What do you mean I should just ask him out?" There's a very loud thud followed by a sharp ow that caught Jane's attention enough to pull her gaze from the monitor of her computer. 

Jane for her part looks mildly amused.

Frowning, Darcy comes slowly out from under her desk rubbing the back of her head. When she came in babbling from the midafternoon coffee run she hadn't planned to start talking about Steve, the conversation just drifted that way naturally. She blamed the fact that she’d been up for nearly three days. This time. It wasn't like she was unaware that she talked about Steve a lot. At first, she gushed to Jane every time they hung out and then she chilled only bringing it up if something funny or memorable happened. But lately it was more which Jane had commented on in passing a time or two, Darcy just hadn't quite expected her to say that.

Spinning away from her computer Jane sighs, “Darcy you talk about him constantly.

“I do not,” she can't help but respond defensively even though she knows she's fibbing badly here. It is a lot. Possibly constantly, lord knows the man occupies an inordinate amount of her thoughts. It would borderline on obsessive if she wasn't already sure it was just a passing crush that would fade. It wasn't like she was Black Widow levels of attractive and he and Natasha always seemed rather cozy together.

“Besides I doubt he even sees me that way. He’s well Captain America and I’m just…” she waves a hand at herself in her leggings and sweater, the black framed glasses and beanie cap just barely keeping the worst of her frizz under control. She was not in Steve Rogers league she knew that the moment she met him two weeks after moving in. Didn’t stop her from striking up a conversation or even a friendship, but this little crush she was holding onto wasn’t being the most cooperative about fading away into the past like she hoped it would.

If anything, it was getting worse. Not full on stalker levels of worse yet, but it was bordering on out of control. Any time Steve left for a mission was a bad time in Darcyland, and Jane was quickly catching on to that fact. Last time he left she spent the first day so spaced out despite many offerings of coffee and scones that she did a poor job transcribing some of Jane’s notes into the computer. There were whole passages that she had to go back and change from just repeated keystrokes of a handful of letters. She couldn’t eve fault the woman for being upset with her for it. Usually once paper notes were transcribed they were shredded, a near disaster that was only averted by the fact that Darcy was so out of it she forgot to shred them and could fix them.

Jane huffed in annoyance, but her words were gentle when she spoke. Got to give the older woman credit where it was due, she knew how to manage her temper where her friends were concerned. “Darcy, I say this because we’ve been together a couple years and I love you, but that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard you say.”  
  
Darcy stares at Jane, brows wrinkled in confusion. “That’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever heard me say? Janie please I say so many stupid things that that is pure logic at it’s absolute best coming from me.”  
  
Maybe, she’s looking for an excuse to keep pining. Darcy has done weirder things, but she’s watched Jane fall apart after Thor left the first time. She was just starting to get her life back together when he returned two years later with very little in the way of an excuse of his long absence outside of the Bifrost was broken and they needed to wait for it to be repaired. (Which Jane and Darcy had both called bullshit on, they saw the footage of him helping the Avengers in the Battle for New York just after he left them and then didn’t even have the decency to call and say he was going to be around and just couldn’t come visit them. Talk about rude.)  
  
“Darcy Captain Rogers practically has his eyes glued to you the minute you enter the room. You’re just too busy looking for whatever you’re there for to notice. He so much as walks by the lab and his head is turning to peek inside and see if you’re here.”  
  
Jane’s words are met with a very unbecoming scoff from Darcy. Like he would ever track her through a room or check to see if she was in the lab on his rare visits to Tony’s lab down the hall.  
  
“Jane please take a break from the science and get your eyes checked. He so doesn’t do either of those things,” she says face once more buried in her computer working on transferring one of Jane’s formulas to the digitized notebook that they backed up all the research to on a private server that neither Tony Stark or JARVIS had access to as part of their employment contract.

She doesn’t have to look up to know that Jane is probably fuming. It was rare that they fought. Even rarer that they fought over how one of them perceived the world around them. But this time certain exceptions were being made and Darcy got the distinct impression that it would be a ground-breaking test of their two years long friendship.  
  
She was right when Jane made a sound of such frustration as she rolled her chair back from her desk. Normally, Jane walked soft a trait picked up from being surrounded by many delicate machines rather than stomping around the lab. This time however she stomped, feet landing heavily on the linoleum and Darcy was thankful that for once the floor wasn’t littered with random nuts, bolts, and other miscellaneous parts needed to build and maintain Jane’s equipment.

Jane sets herself down on the edge of Darcy’s desk arms crossed and stares at the younger woman lips pressed into a thin line. The look Jane was giving her was one of annoyance, but Darcy was pretending not to notice. It was easier in the long run, just like keeping coffee and pop-tarts stocked in the cupboards meant easier time feeding Jane when she was neck deep in a science binge.

“As of this moment you are not allowed to step one foot in this lab until you talk to Captain Rogers, do you understand. I want you out of here. JARVIS where is Captain America right now?”

Darcy rolls her chair back staring at the astrophysicist that just kicked her out of the lab. How many times had she asked for the afternoon off only for Jane to say they had too much work to do? Hundreds. And now she was being banned from the lab because she rambled a bit about Captain America and his biceps of Truth and Justice.

“Captain Rogers is in the Avenger’s common room with Sam Wilson. Would you like me to let him know you’re looking for him?” JARVIS’ crisp accept replies from the speakers in the ceiling.

“No thank you though,” Jane gives her a meaningful look before her features soften to that of a realization and then she smiles, “One more thing JARVIS can you revoke Darcy’s lab privileges until such a time as she has had a meaningful conversation with Captain Rogers about her feelings?”

Darcy groans. Boss Lady was serious about banning her from the lab. Like legit revoking her privileges and everything. How did this even happen.

“Of course, Dr. Foster. Privileges revoked. Once Miss Lewis leaves the lab she will be unable to regain access until your requirements have been met. Likewise, she will be unable to access the lab floor.”

“Traitor,” Darcy mutters in response to the AI’s enthusiastic agreement with Jane’s request. JARVIS remains entirely silent in response whether it was offended or not she couldn’t tell, but she was definitely heading to full on sulk.  
  
“Thank you JARVIS,” beaming Jane looks at Darcy, “Well you heard you have some time off I think you should get up to common room and have a chat with Steve if you want to be able to come back and make sure I haven’t gone on a bender and forgotten to eat or drink my water.”  
  
The sing-song way Jane says it though has Darcy narrowing her eyes at Jane.  
  
“You are spending way too much time with Tony if you’re learning how to play me.” And yet she can’t find it in herself to actually be mad about that development. She’s feeling pretty proud if she’s being honest with herself. Jane was learning how to do more than focus all her attention on science and Thor, what was this world coming to.  
  
“I’ll take that as compliment, now go.” Jane says smugly as she walks away from Darcy’s desk and returns to her own.  
  
“Alright I’m going, geesh.”  
  
Gathering her things slowly, it takes nearly twenty minutes for Darcy to leave the lab and board the elevator. Prodding the button for her floor she leans back against the wall and stares at the ceiling. Sighing she shakes her head, maybe she shouldn’t have been quite so disbelieving of Jane’s evidence. If there was one thing Jane knew how to do well it was observe. So she was going to drop her purse off in her apartment and then go hunt up Steve. See what he does when she walks into the room.

“JARVIS?” she asks softly when the elevator comes to a stop on her floor and the doors roll open. For a moment her voice is met only with silence. She’s about to call again when it proves unnecessary.  
  
“Yes Miss Lewis?”  
  
“Is Steve still in the common room?”  
  
She unlocks her apartment, pushing the door open just far enough to deposit her purse on the table by the door before closing it again. Keys were unnecessary considering the state of the art biometric locks Tony had installed on ever apartment.

“Yes Miss Lewis. Are you planning to go talk to him?”  
  
“Yeah. Hey JARV, does he really track my every move when we’re in the same room together?”  
  
She may have questioned Jane, but machines can’t lie. Well she doesn’t think they can. She’s almost positive that Tony left that little ability out of JARVIS’ programming back in his college days. And as the next most advanced observation unit in house currently was the AI -- Natasha Romanoff was for the time being out doing god only knows what for Director Fury – she may as well get an unbiased opinion on the situation. She wasn’t feeling like making a complete fool of herself in front of everyone, while trying to muster up the courage to ask Steve out on a date if Jane was wrong.  
  
There’s a few moments of silence as she walks back to the elevators and hits the call button. It had no sooner arrived than JARVIS responded to her query.  
  
“After reviewing footage of you and Captain Rogers in monitored areas, I would agree with Dr. Foster’s assessment. The captain does seem to spend a great deal of his time watching you if you are in the vicinity.”  
  
Despite the emotionless way JARVIS delivered its agreement with Jane, she couldn’t help but feel her heart swell. Her lips curving into a wide pleased smile as the elevator went down a couple floors to the common room. Exiting the elevator, she grins up at the ceiling, “Thanks JARVIS, I think I’ll take it from here.”  
  
Making her way down the hallway, Darcy tries to keep it natural. Just because a superintelligent AI. And her best friend slash boss told her one dashing Captain America watched her every time they occupied the same space did not an automatic love connection make. She needed to keep it cool, just in case even of she was one hundred times more hopeful of the outcome than she was two hours ago.

The common room is busy when she enters. Agents coming and going while staffers take needed meal break or fetch coffee that didn't taste like mud and burnt toast. It takes actual effort for Darcy not to linger in the doorway once she spots Steve on the other side of the room having coffee with Sam. Waiting for him to notice her seemed like an excellent way to get caught. Instead she moves to join the end of the line for whatever the kitchen was serving. She wasn't hungry, but it gave her a reason to watch Steve discreetly out of her peripheral vision.

Wouldn't you know it that she gets the distinct impression his eyes are on her as she moves down the line. Taking a tray that was completely unnecessary, she follows along with those in front of her. The coffee machine is at the end just before the automated inventory system. She fills a mug with the dark liquid and passes through the gate. Her coffee record and off she goes.

Darcy doesn’t approach immediately. She doesn’t want to appear too eager, so she hangs back taking another look around the room. Getting the lay of the land so to speak. Most of the room was occupied by agents and staffers. It was an amazing hodge-podge of sleek suits and tactical gear. There was sweatpants and t-shirts too for those that had the day off or had just finished in the gym their hair still wet. And her gaze flicked Steve and Sam’s way and there were his blue eyes for a flash, looking right at her before flicking away as she pretends she didn’t see.

Taking a deep breath, Darcy squares her shoulders and makes her way over. She arrives just in time to hear Sam finish speaking.

“Sorry I’m just not that into you?”

“Who’s not that into who now?” She asks taking both men by surprise as she holds back by a bit to seem like she isn’t trying to intrude. Well okay she’s totally trying to intrude, and she can feel Steve’s eyes roaming over her. Lord now that she knew he was watching it was like her skin was hypersensitized to know when he was looking. And when he wasn’t, she wanted it back the way she wanted another cup of coffee at two o’clock in the afternoon.

“Uh no one. Just someone in HR guess they aren’t very into one of the sergeants,” Steve says, and she grins at him. Yeah okay if that’s how he wants to play it. She may not have heard everything he and Sam were saying, but she doubts they were discussing anyone from HR before she arrived.

Taking a sip of her coffee Darcy turns her attention to Sam, “Hey Sam mind if I borrow the captain here a moment?” She tilts her head as she lowers her cup and widens her eyes a little at him comically. Go on bird boy take a hike she needs to have a chat with Steve. And boy doesn’t that get the heart speeding away like a runaway train.  Keep it cool Darcy, no need to let on just how nervous you are just yet.

“Not at all Darce. Later Cap.” She watches him pick up his coffee and walk away whistling. It makes her smile widen. Guess he’s not the only friend in this place thinking that they are way overdue on a conversation about their feelings. Darcy takes another sip as she watches Sam continue walking away probably to go tell Jane they were talking _finally_. And well you know that isn’t a bad outcome. They

She plunks herself down in Sam’s vacated chair and takes yet another sip, this one to steel her nerves and wet her suddenly dry throat. Where did half of the cup go already? She didn’t think she was taking sip that were that large but apparently, she was gulping it down like it was nobody’s business. Or she was just sleep deprived to the max and wasn’t paying attention to how much she already drank.

“So, before I have the nerve to talk myself out of it I’m going to ask you a question. However, given my sleep deprived nature I hope you won’t hold it against me if you find the question offensive or aren’t interested, okay?” Well that might not have been the original intent, but she wasn’t known for thinking things through ahead of time. Who knows this might actually be the best way to go about it. At least if she asked there wouldn’t be any doubts afterward.

She lets herself study his face. The long lines of his cheekbones and his golden hair that is turning more toward brown these days. She likes the blond but there’s something about the brown his hair is turning now. It suits him in a way that the blond didn’t. It makes him look older, more mature and less boyish. Which again wasn’t a bad thing but there was something about Steve looking more like a man in his thirties than a young man that would do anything to get into the army to fight the good fight and protect people that were unable to protect themselves.

Her eyes linger at his lips a moment aware that he’s studying her as well. Leaning forward on those elbows that support his glorious forearms before nodding his acquiescence. She takes a breath and lets it out slowly, eyes glancing to his mouth again and then up to his eyes, those beautiful blue eyes that seem to sparkle in the afternoon sun.

“Cool. Question. Would you be interested in going to dinner with me? I’d ask you out to a movie, but we do that already and even being standard date material it doesn’t feel like it’d be special. And technically dinner is sort of a rehash of like the million times we’ve met up for coffee just longer and more chances for me to drop food on the ladies. But it felt less creepy than asking you to an art show in Manhattan or a picnic.” God she’s rambling, and she flushes deeply at the realization.

Someone please put her out of her misery or help her sink through the floor. She fidgets please say something Steve. There’s only so much waiting she can take and the minutes are stretching out into infinity in a way that makes her want to bolt from the table, even though she’s determined to remain where she is until he answers. She needs to know first and then she can run if he goes for the gentle let down or whatever it is men do to undesirable advances from women these days.

Then he smiles, wide and showing off his perfectly straight and white teeth and she swears her rushing heartbeat stutters to a stop. Why does he have to look so damn perfect when he does that?

“Yeah sure, but can we still go to the art show?”

OH MY GOD, did her head just explode. Did her ears hear that correctly? Steve fucking Rogers, Captain freaking America just said he wanted to go have dinner with her. And maybe see an art show at the same time. She could float away right now. Or jump up and down like an over excited teenager who just had the boy of her dreams say he liked her too in the middle of the cafeteria.

She takes a moment to sip her coffee as a means of regaining her composure. It’s cool Darce, Steve just said yes. And then a dark cloud floats across her mind. What if he thought she was just asking as a friend?

“Of course, we can. And for the record I was asking you out.” May as well be super clear. Heartbreak fades. But leading herself on…yeah, the pain of that doesn’t go away as easily.

She must have been emoting her doubt of his understanding hard, because Steve reached out and cupped her cheek. His thumb brushing over her cheekbone and her heart practically sings at the contact. His smile like the sun coming out from behind a cloud rolling across it.

“I know Darce,” his voice is soft and sweet, and she leans into his touch, “I’m very happy you did.”


	3. Get Ready...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for the date but first Jane _needs_ to have a very important conversation with Steve. Aka that chapter where Jane trolls the hell out of the new couple and gets the final laugh as they leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was supposed to be the final chapter in the story. And then as I was writing it I hit this perfect end point. Just you'll see what I mean. I'm very sorry for the long wait for this chapter. Hopefully, the next won't be as long in coming. The plan is to get it out next week at the latest. Hopefully, that will be the last chapter but we'll see what happens when I finish writing it.
> 
> Enjoy. Comments and kudos are more than welcome.

At seven o’clock sharp a week after Darcy finally managed to ask Steve Rogers out, he was standing outside her door on the 68th floor of Avengers Tower. For once the world had cooperated and allowed him to stay in town long enough to maybe lay some ground work for a personal life. Wouldn’t that be a nice change as he stands in front of door in a pair of pressed khaki’s and a light blue button down open at the neck and rolled up to his elbows. Casual, Darcy doesn’t seem like the type of girl to appreciate fancy unless it’s mutually agreed upon and since she never said anything, he just figured a compromise between t-shirt and jeans and suit would be best.

They spent a good hour in the common room chatting after she officially asked, and he hadn’t been able to stop grinning the entire time.  It was nice to just talk with her and know that it wouldn’t be the last time. It was a feeling he felt many times since waking up. Since the Avengers came together as a ragtag team that Fury put together to combat threats the world couldn’t. Risky job, but Darcy Lewis took it in stride and he wanted to be good enough. The man he was sure she saw when she turned those baby blues on him with a wicked smirk just before she took off to do something truly amazing down in the labs or pull a prank on Tony.

He knew he was in deep, but maybe he must admit that it’s more than a crush. He blew past smitten was full blown puppy love with the girl. Not that it was a bad thing. Or it was but she saw Captain America as man first. How many missions had he been called out on while watching TV with her that only ended in her asking him to be careful because it would be a shame to lose the opportunity to ogle him. Yes, he’s aware she was objectifying him, but he also had a feeling that was Darcy’s way of being affectionate with her friends. What would she say the first time he had to leave for a mission while they were dating? Thinking about it made him grin at her door.

It was a couple minutes after he knocked before the door opened and he was ready to be knocked off his feet by his best girl only to find Jane Foster on the other side smiling at him amusement dancing in her eyes.

“Hi Steve, come on in, Darcy’s just finishing getting ready,” Jane invites him in pushing the door open wider and he gets a glimpse of a messy sitting area in front of him and a haphazardly kept coat rack directly to his right. Further in was an immaculate kitchen completely at odds with the messy entertaining area and his eyebrow quirks up in question.

Jane must have seen it because she starts to laugh and shake her head. “I know, I didn’t get it at first either. But it’s just how Darcy is. The kitchen is hallowed ground don’t comment on the disparity if you don’t want a lecture.”

“Good to know.” Her murmurs putting his hands in his pockets and fighting the urge to fidget. Besides Peggy and his awkward hallway flirtation with Sharon (which had lead to a brief and brilliant encounter that made both realize it wasn’t what they were ultimately looking for) he’d technically been in the home of another woman other than Bucky’s sisters and that was more him visiting family than anything else.

“This date has been all she’s been able to talk about for the last week. She practically floated back into the lab after she left you that afternoon,” Jane continues watching him intently and he gets the distinct impression she’s sizing him up. Analyzing him and determining just how much damage control she’ll have to do if this goes monumentally wrong and that speaks volumes about Darcy’s dating history and makes him suddenly feel very much like the tiny sick boy that couldn’t get so much as a second look from a girl back in the day.

“She isn’t the only that’s been looking forward to it,” he says trying to pack the full depth of his intentions into his words.

“I know,” the amusement is back in her eyes and he can tell she and Sam have been talking behind their backs and he shakes his head with a laugh. At least she has good people in her corner. She’s going to need that if they make dating work.

_Slow down Rogers_ , he reminds himself. As much as he likes her, and she appears to like him they need to get through the first date part first and then probably through about a dozen missions before he should even begin to worry about _that_. For all he knew they’d fizzle out as quickly as his relationship with Sharon, though he’s doubtful, he’s got a feeling about this and it tells him that things are going to work out just as they should.

A thud comes from the bedroom knocking him out of his thoughts, “Shit,” comes the hurried whisper and Jane glances back worry crossing her brow as her gaze flickers from him to the door and back again.

“I can wait here if you want to give her a hand.” He offers quietly hands still stuffed in his pockets as he leans back on his heels to take another look around the room.

“In a minute,” she says shoving hair behind her ear and again looking up at him. The look she was giving him was very similar the laser focus he’s seen fathers get over their daughters or Tony get when someone questions why a certain piece of equipment was still in bits and pieces and not in the trash.

“I’m going to say this once Steve. If you hurt her-”

“You’ll make me pay for it dearly with some of your science. Don’t worry Dr. Foster I have no intention of hurting Darcy. Actually, I am really hoping that whatever comes next I’d be able to make her incredibly happy.” Steve interrupts paying no mind to the dark look Jane throws him at his audacity.

It’s okay he already knew just by the way Dr. Foster held herself that she was used to having people listen when she spoke. He was probably the second person in quite some time to even dare. And Steve didn’t have to guess to know who happened to be the first. The first happens to be peeking out from the door the thud came from and she’s staring at him with the most pleased expression he’s ever seen on her face.

“Funny that was my hope too,” She says finally calling attention to the fact that she was watching, “hey Janey can you come help with this if you’re done threatening Steve like a good mama bear?”

At that Steve laughs, full and deep as he watches Jane color a little in embarrassment before throwing him one last meaningful glare and pivoting to help Darcy finish getting ready. Jane slips inside the room Darcy had holed up in and he can’t help but feel a bit disappointed that the only glimpse of his date he got was of her face looking as beautiful as always with her hair around her face, otherwise she’d been very good about keeping the rest of her hidden behind that door.

Well Steve knew how to be patient and as much as he wanted to get this show on the road, he knew better than to rush a lady in her primping. It just wasn’t something you did, and if Darcy Lewis wanted to get all dolled up for their date far be it from him to stop her. It set a little whirlwind of anticipation spinning through his stomach as he once more surveyed her messy living room hands resting at his sides, feet shoulder width apart. He was true to his word, he wouldn’t do anything while he waited.

Though his eyes did make note of the time on the clock in the kitchen when Jane went in to help. He tried hard not to wince when he heard yet another thud and a pair of harsh whispers float vaguely through the door. He didn’t succeed, but Tony had the right idea about privacy because beyond knowing the two women were talking to each other, he couldn’t make out the words they were saying so when Jane exited fifteen minutes later he merely raises an eyebrow at her.

She looks far more harried and tired than she did going in. Whatever occurred behind the closed door into what he was now assuming was Darcy’s bedroom, he didn’t want to know. There were just some secrets women had that men were better off knowing and that has never been truer than now in the twenty-first century.

“She’ll be right out. She’s just putting on her shoes,” the door opens as Jane finishes saying shoes, but Steve isn’t hearing her.

His eyes are on Darcy. On the way her hair is perfectly swept up into a knot at the crown of her head with a few well selected tendril curled around her face. He doesn’t notice any real difference in her face (though he’s come to understand that woman slather on even more make up now than they did back in his day) beyond her rose-colored lips now sporting an eye catching red lipstick that draws his focus as he traces the fullness of her bottom lip with his eyes. He reminds himself that there’s a dress to go with that fantastic presentation and he sweeps his gaze head to toe and back up much slower taking in every tiny detail from the way the aquamarine color of the dress to the way the skirt bells out at her waist after clinging to every curve from waist to shoulder.

It suits her, and he makes a conscious effort not to let his gaze linger too long at the expanse of cleavage on display. Though by the way her mouth curves into a pleased smirk when she catches him it’s probably one of the intended effects of her choice in attire. Still with Jane standing not twenty feet away, Steve feels he’d do well to drag his eyes to her face and offer her a smile.

“You look beautiful Darce,” he means every word to, he can’t take his eyes off her and he has no idea how he’s going to attend a gallery show with her on his arm and not spend all his time watching her when he should be looking at the paintings.

Her smile grows as she takes him in. His fingers twitch against his thigh as he tries not to feel like he is somehow not dressed to adequately impress her. But then he dressed in a way that spoke of his comfort. Nice shirt, pressed khakis, sensible shoes. She’s seen him in the overly tight t-shirts or no shirt already. This was different though.

“You make a pretty picture yourself handsome.” His mouth twitches into a smile and he moves closer not sure what he’s intending to do, but he moves anyway.

“Thanks. Are you ready to go, I think we’re going to be pushing the timing a bit.” He says glancing at the clock and already holding out his hand for hers when a couch stops him.

“You play nice, be the gentlemen I know you are. And I expect you to have Darcy home at a reasonable hour.” Jane has her arms crossed over her chest trying to look intimidating. If it weren’t for the smile he might think she was all five feet and six inches of her. Instead, he thinks she’s trying to do the protective parent thing still setting a curfew that by the mischievous look on Darcy’s face they weren’t going to adhere to, and maybe he’d get to show off just how little like a gentleman she made him feel.

But none of that was something you tell the best friend of the girl you’re taking out for the first time. Especially, not when she’s the girl you’ve been pining after for nearly a year and only made the connection that the feeling was mutual the week before.

“Of course, Dr. Foster.” He says it with the smile he saves for politicians and photo ops. The one he used during the USO shows after he was disillusioned of what his part was really intended to be.

Apparently, she finds that look about as reassuring as a root canal and she starts laughing.

“I’m kidding. You two have a good time and remember there are condoms in your purse Darce.”

Darcy groans at her best friends’ words even as Steve can feel his cheeks heating. Not that he can question why Dr. Foster was mentioning condoms. Darcy already has her hand wrapped around his wrist and is pulling him out of the apartment with a vicelike grip he didn’t know she had.

“Jane you’re terrible,” she calls over her shoulder before slamming open the door and dragging Steve away down the hall.

His ears picking up Dr. Foster laughing hysterically all the way to the elevators.


	4. The Art Show

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY NEW YEAR Readers! I am so sorry this took literally forever to get posted. I've had a partial draft sitting on here since October and we've crossed into 2019 before I managed to finish it. I was really hoping to finish it before the New Year, but I guess the fact that I'm one chapter closer to done is better than nothing. I know I keep updating the total number of chapters ~~this would time number 2 or 3 I think~~ , but I promise there will be no more changes to the number of chapters expected in this fic. Next chapter will be some lovely hurt/comfort dealing with this chapters aftermath and the return of some sassy friends for our hero and heroine. And chapter 6 is likely to be an epilogue-y thing.

Darcy has never felt more annoyed in her life. She loves Jane don’t get her wrong, the astrophysicist did not become her best friend just by giving her the intern slot in her research. That was just the beginning of their relationship. No, Jane became her best friend in the two years after they hit Thor with Jane’s van and Darcy tased him. After Thor left to deal with his brother and only came back to help save the Earth from an alien army invading via a portal above New York City. And by that logic their friendship was so rock solid that the only way it was ending was if one of them died. And since that didn’t seem like something that was about to happen, Darcy was left with annoyed.

Dragging Steve into the elevator she practically stabs the button for the first floor.

“I can’t believe her; saying something like that. It’s like bringing home my boyfriend to meet my parents when I was sixteen only instead of a talk about shotguns and shovels it’s how she put condoms in my purse to avoid accidental super babies.” She huffs the words out and for a moment Darcy forgets that they’re technically on a date, and technically she is very much not alone.

Until a large hand settles on her shoulder and gives it a squeeze. That touch is enough to make everything else pause. Darcy closes her eyes and nods her head in understanding. Leave it to Steve to know exactly how to calm the disquiet in her with a simple touch. Lord help her, because if this didn’t work out (which totally wasn’t going to happen now that she’s got him Darcy isn’t letting him go) she is going to be ruined for all other men.

Who can compare to Steve Rogers? It isn’t even the looks so much as it’s the personality. He might be all chivalry and sweet but there was a genuineness to him that most people didn’t have these days. It just didn’t happen. People weren’t raised to say what they mean and keep commitments. Why else would it be so hard for people to stay in long-term relationships? Which would be a fun thought experiment except for the fact that she was being a terrible date right now and ignoring him in favor of comparing him to every other man on the planet in general. Talk about a can of worms she really shouldn’t want to open.

Leaning into his touch Darcy takes another deep breath letting his body heat seep into her and the scent of him set her at ease. She didn’t know what soap he used but he always smelled like washed linen and leather. Not a bad smell if she had to say so herself. It was soothing, familiar from all those hours spent binge-watching shows on Netflix and getting coffee.

“Sorry. Sometimes she just knows exactly what to say to get under my skin.” Darcy mumbles unable to look up at him.

“It’s okay. I’m sure she was just messing with you. Kind of like the team does with me.” He gives her shoulder another squeeze and then let’s go though she notices he doesn’t step away. She can still feel the heat radiating off him warming her back.

“She might have been teasing but I bet you twenty bucks if I were to check my purse right now, I’d find at least one condom in it. Probably more considering I haven’t had sex in …wow is it hot here. I should probably talk to Tony about the temperature controls on this thing.”

_Oh yeah that was such a nice save there Darcy. Now Steve probably thinks you only asked him out to get laid,_ she berates herself wishing that this ride would end sooner rather than later. She does not want to try and dance around any questions that statement might have brought up for Steve.

To his credit he coughs into his fist and she can just make out his ears turning pink in their reflection of the chrome of the car. So blasé comments about sex make him embarrassed good to know for future dates.

“And if I were to take that bet?” he finally asks and it’s her turn to cough only she sounds more like she’s choking than clearing her throat to alleviate tension and she turns to glance back at him eyes narrowed trying to gauge just what is going on.

His ears are still pink, but he otherwise looks the picture of perfect as always. Perfectly mischievous and that gets an eyebrow raise.

“Then the loser would owe the victor twenty bucks. Unless you want to play by other stakes, in which case I’m listening but I make no promises to agree to them.”

Before Steve can answer though the elevator slows to a stop, the door opening silently as the bland elevator voice announces they’ve reached the lobby. Reaching back, she slips her hand into his twining their fingers together as she does and once again leads him away.

“I guess we’re going to hold off on that discussion until later,” he says amiably as they pass through the main doors and onto the quiet city street

“Guess so, unless you want to continue it on the cab ride over?” She shoots him another curious look, a touch of heat added in to really catch his attention. If he wanted to take the suckers bet, she wouldn’t stop him.

And the grin he answers her with and the way his eyes seem to go molten makes Darcy wish she’d thought to include a fan as part of her necessities for the night. Because oh boy a few more looks like that and she was going to be looking for the nearest supply closet at the gallery to shove him into.

“Let’s find out,” he murmurs voice pitched low so only she can hear him, and she swears her knees give a bit of a wobble.

Good lord no one mentioned Steve Rogers, America’s golden boy, had mastered spy seduction class. Or she was just easy to get going. The second was totally an option given the current situation. His sharp whistle makes her jump a little, but it does the trick as a cab glides to a smooth stop before them and he lets go of her to open the door, so she can slide in. He slides in behind her and pulls the door shut and the driver looks at both expectantly.

Giving herself a bit of a mental shake Darcy smiles at the driver and provides him the address for gallery they were going to. Confirming with her that he’d heard correctly the driver then checks traffic and merges into the post rush hour flow. The silence that followed them into the cab is deafening, how was it that they could fill hours with chatter before, but they couldn’t summon up more than a handful of flirtatious sentences since leaving her apartment? It was idiotic in a way that Darcy couldn’t understand.

As the silence stretches, she fidgets. Her fingers tapping on the armrest and then shifting in her seat. Bad idea as she gets a whiff of something putrid and rotten that makes her nose scrunch and her eyes water. The window next to Steve whirs as it lowers and fresh air smelling of exhaust and hot asphalt slides in and she could just kiss him there in the backseat of the cab. Her body shifting toward him as he turns toward her with an eyebrow raised.

“Dar-” Steve doesn’t get to finish as shifts and presses him back into the door as her lips connect with his. His lips are soft, and he makes a small surprised noise. Her fingers curl into the fabric of his shirt at his sides as she licks his lips and her tongue slips in his mouth when his lips part.

She doesn’t mean for things to get heated. Honestly, that wasn’t the intent just a friendly thankful kiss. Not that it stops her from teasing him as her tongue slides against his and his hands settle themselves comfortably on her shoulders. Though they don’t move to pull her in or push her away, just there as another point of connection.

She nips his bottom lip and Steve groans and then he pushes her back. She watches his chest rise and fall in quick pants and then even out all while she still tries to catch her breath.

“You two done?” The cabbie asks, and Darcy has the presence of mind to blush as she uncurls her fingers from his shirt and moves back to her side of the bench seat.

“Sorry about that,” she says looking down at her hands. The need to fidget no longer a problem as they once more lapse into silence, the only noise coming from the cabs radio turned to some 80’s rock station that she can’t remember being on less than a minute ago.

“Good, I would have kicked you two out if you went any further. Do you have any idea how annoying it is to clean up after a fair decides to do the horizontal mambo in the backseat of my cab?” The cabbie says, his eyes flicking to hers briefly in the rearview mirror before returning to the road.

“We’ll try to contain ourselves,” Steve pipes up.

She shoots him a glance like now you decide to say something? The glimmer of amusement in his expression tells her that was on purpose and she narrows her eyes. Okay Captain two can play that game and when she plays, she tends to play for keeps. As if reading her thoughts, he leans into her side his hand finding her thigh like it was the most natural place for his hand to be after she nearly tackled him into a window in the back of a cab.

“Won’t we Darcy?” He whispers into her ear and she can feel all the heat in her spread both to her face and much lower.

“You are going to be in so much trouble.” She mutters, and Steve just chuckles his thumb rubbing circles into her thigh.

 

By the time they reach the gallery Darcy is ready to sprint from the cab. She’s fishing in her purse for her wallet when she catches a glimpse of Steve paying the fare for her.

“Keep the change,” he says and opens the door and exits.

Darcy slides out next and gives him a look as they stand on the sidewalk in front of the gallery. The cab pulls away without much more than the sound of the tires crunching over whatever debris was at the curb. Still she watches Steve and he wraps his arm around her shoulders.

“My treat.” He says as if that explains everything.

“Pretty sure that wasn’t the plan when I asked you out.” She says. She isn’t mad so much as surprised. Not that she should be Darcy realizes after a moment, Steve was from a time where men paid when they took a girl out on a date. For him it was probably as second nature to him as the clean-cut look he always had even when he came back from a mission that went far too long. It wasn’t, however; an attack on her independence or a comment on her ability to afford the outing. It was just him being quintessential Steve Rogers and Darcy finds she adores him even more for it.

“Probably not,” He looks confused and tilts his head, “You want to split the check at dinner?” He doesn’t sound so sure about that suggestion, but she smiles and nods her head. It was a compromise she could live with, especially since she knows how much he can put away in one sitting. Her wallet was not looking forward to that bill even if she was only planning for them to go to a dinner closer to the tower when they were done.

“I think I can live with that Cap.” Again, she slips her hand into his and pulls him forward as if to say the situation had been successfully resolved to her satisfaction.

The gallery is a small space with it’s front wall made entirely of windows and glass doors. The lights within are bright but not so bright they hurt the eyes as the pair enters. Paintings and framed drawings hang on every available space to the walls as well the partial walls that outline meandering paths along the floor. The floor is likewise sporting a few sculptures that the artist must have done. The white walls reflecting the soft light back into the room helping light it even as the track lights are aimed largely at the art.

There’s a moment once they’re inside where they just stand in the entrance taking it in. There’s smartly dressed individuals carrying trays of champagne, wine, and little hors d’oeuvres that make her mouth water with scents of thyme, rosemary, and butter wafting in the air. The other guests seem at ease as they move from piece to another and chat among themselves. Laughter filling the air along with the clink of glasses.

“I take it you’ve never been to a gallery show before?” Steve asks.

“Only on TV.”

He chuckles, he was doing that a lot tonight. Apparently, she was very amusing in her newness to all things art and dating Steve Rogers. He tucks her hand into the crook of his elbow and easily slips into the crowd. They make a circuit around the floor pausing to look at different works that catch Steve’s eye and about halfway around the outer walls her procures them glasses of wine. The bite of chardonnay hitting her tongue as she takes her first sip.

“Okay so what am I looking at?”

The painting doesn’t look like much to her untrained eye, but then her idea of art these days is telescope photos of far away galaxies that Jane emails her. She needs to get out more. She didn’t really understand the appeal on a critical level of art. Sure a lot of it was pretty and she admitted that often when she thought something was. She can see how Steve studies each piece they pause at. Watches as he seems to critique and appraise the value it has and then give it a nod before moving them along to make room for someone else. And while it was enjoyable to watch the different emotions and expression his face made in the process she wanted to understand too.

“What do you see?” Steve counters.

Tilting her head Darcy squints at the painting, her glasses slipping down her nose, so she has to push them back up. Aesthetically speaking the piece isn’t one she’d call beautiful. She wasn’t hesitant to call it nice.

“A mess,” she finally murmurs softly not wanting to embarrass herself in a room full of art aficionados. To her it was just a canvas with swirls of color around a pale peach blob that was shaped a little like a human being.

The snort she gets in response is of pure amusement even as her companion shakes his head and raises his free hand to point out different aspects of the painting.

“Okay. It does look like that from the outside. But see the way the shadows play across the background. How there’s lighter colors peeking through and the person seems to be traveling toward those patches of light,” Steve says pointing out each element as he talks. “It’s a play on a common theme.”

“Dark vs. the light.” She finishes the painting taking shape as he explains. She can see what he sees; it still takes some squinting, but she can understand where he’s getting his interpretation from.

He nods pleased. “Exactly.”

They pass an hour making a circuit of the central displays at the floor. He explains the importance of balance in color. The way the lighter and darker colors work together to make the atmosphere and how the brushstrokes play into the creation of the final piece. He tells her how pieces like these usually go through several mock-ups before being painted. That sometimes an artist will sketch the same thing several times before being satisfied enough to put paint to canvas and that what they see on the walls and floor are the results of hours possibly weeks or months of work.

Despite having invited Steve to the gallery for the show, Darcy hadn’t given much thought about what she was going to do while she was there. But she was glad she suggested it. Steve was enjoying himself and the more he explained the more she found she enjoyed being there as well. They were about to start a second lap of the outer walls, so she could tell Steve what she saw in those first paintings and drawings they passed when the mood shifted.

A gasp echoed off the walls and the pair turned to see what the cause was. In the entrance stood four men (at least Darcy assumed they were men by the clothes) in jeans, shirts, and jackets. They had ski masks over their faces and three had guns in their hands pointing into the crowd. The hush that fell over the guests was oppressive as the lead gunman smirked at the gathered patrons.

“Everyone stay where you are, and no one gets hurt.” His says in a raspy voice.

Darcy almost laughs at the cliché line. She would have to if Steve hadn’t squeezed her hand to keep her silent as he pulled her more firmly into his side. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what’s supposed to happen next and she turns her gaze to Steve and he shakes his head. He’s beyond unprepared for the situation. Right now, he can’t do anything. Biting her lip, Darcy nods and holds tight to his arm.

“Now my associates are going to come around Your wallet’s jewelry, purses go into the bags they’re carrying. Don’t try to fight. If you do well, you won’t like the end results. Once you’ve surrendered your valuables get down on the ground face down. Understood?” The lead says.

People nod and Steve watches the four men. Two stay in the front guns aimed into the crowd. The other two move around the room with large sacks in their hands collecting personal items and valuables. His grip on Darcy’s hand tightens at the thieves audacity, making her whimper at him.

He glances down at the sound to see tears shining in the corners of her eyes. Immediately he loosens his grip and offers her an apologetic smile before turning his attention back to the thieves. He tracks their movements and all the while Darcy watches.

Off all the nights for her to leave her taser at her apartment. Not that she was expecting to need it when she was condensing her purse to the most needed items of the night. It was supposed to be a quiet night of art and food and maybe some not so innocent making out on her couch after they got back. Or maybe in her doorway depending on if she could talk Steve into coming inside. Getting robbed had figured nowhere into that equation and yet here they stood.

Ignoring the sting of tears, she flexes her fingers against his forearm and is pleased to find them in working order if a little sore from Steve’s near death grip a few seconds ago. He’s tracking them how they move through the crowd. The men are careful. They keep just out of reach with the bag between themselves and their victims. They aren’t taking any chances with outnumbered they are. She’s sure Steve’s noticed as well and is just bidding his time until there’s an opening to spring into action. Somehow thieves at an art gallery doesn’t seem like something he would let slide. Especially given how new the artist is and this is one of their earliest shows since they began.

She’s right that he’s bidding his time. When a thief makes it to them and she pulls her arm free of Steve’s he starts patting his pants as if he can’t find his wallet while she busies herself with removing items from her clutch. The thief grows impatient and leans in to grab the clutch from her at the same moment Steve swings a punch at the thief’s head. The fist connects with a sickening crunch and her clutch goes flying across the floor. From there it’s chaos as patrons scream and those still standing make a break for the back exit and main door.

Darcy backs as far away and into one of the walls. The sound of gunshots and screams echoing off the white walls as she watches Steve disappear into the press of bodies. She finds a corner and slides down the wall knees tucked up to her chin as she hides in the open. She wants to help, but without her taser she’s not going to get very far. The Avengers have put her through a handful of self-defense classes and she can throw a punch, but she still prefers her taser. The distance providing a false sense of security that was probably exactly what Natasha warned against her getting to attached to the weapon when forcing Darcy into hand-to-hand combat exercises two months prior.

Likewise, she couldn’t call the police with her purse and its contents being kicked across the gallery’s floor. This was firmly on Steve’s shoulders. She just hoped he didn’t get hurt as she kept her eyes peeled for a familiar head of brown hair to pop up in the rushing crowd. A crowd that was growing thinner by the minute and she had a good look at two of thieves on the ground a little worse for wear. They probably got knocked down by Steve and subsequently trampled in the rush. Another was exchanging blows while a third was picking himself up and aiming his gun at Steve’s back.

Not thinking Darcy moves, glad she opted for the flats instead of heels tonight. Her steps are mostly noiseless across the polished hardwood as she rushes to the gunman trying to shoot her date. Not cool dude not cool at all. She wanted Steve to stay in one piece and not need a trip to the hospital or medical attention tonight thank you. She’s almost within reach when she lifts her foot and delivers a roundhouse kick to the man’s head. There’s a breath where everything slows down once her foot leaves the floor and she can see the gunman turn to look at her his eyes widening in his ski mask and then her foot connects, and he crumples. Time returning to full speed as the gun in his hand twitches and a bang echoes in the room. Her head swiveling to see who was shot and watch Steve stumble as blood blooms in his right shoulder.

The stumble gives the last guy an opening that he takes, and Steve’s pained groan reaches her ears as the thief punches him in the stomach. The pair grapple and Steve gets him to the ground pinning him under his weight.

“Are you-”

“Go in the back and see if you can find some rope to tie theses guys up with.” He orders, his voice harsh. Darcy nods and makes for the back-storage room.

Like the front it’s messy. People must have knocked things over in their haste to get out and away. Not that she could blame them, but it makes finding what she needs more difficult. After several minutes searching finds a roll of duct tape and heads back out front.

The man Steve had been holding down was unconscious now and Steve was standing over him touching his back.

“I found a roll of duct tape. Are you okay?” She asks her voice growing softer. She hadn’t meant for him to get shot, but she couldn’t stand there and watch either. Honestly, she hadn’t given it a single thought that if she kicked the guy in the head, he might still have time to get one potentially bad shot off.

“That’s good, tie their hands behind their backs.” He says as he moves his arm and hisses out a slow breath.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think that he’d still have time to get a shot off.” She explains as she starts with what he asked her to do. Tying up the thieves proved easier with them unconscious. The first guy doesn’t so much as twitch, but he’s breathing. The one she kicked in the head fights a little forcing her to lean more heavily into him to finish wrapping layers of tape around his wrists.

Steve moves around the room as she works shadowing her in case, she has too much trouble with any single one of their assailants. When it appears that she has her current one well in hand he turns his attention to searching out the firearms and collecting them into a pile on the base of one of the sculptures.

“Steve, you didn’t answer me earlier,” she says finishing with the last guy and standing up, “Are you okay?”

“I’ve been better. Getting shot wasn’t exactly my idea of how our date should end.”

“Me either.” She mutters placing the tape next to the guns.

She crosses the room and pauses behind him her green eyes intense on the entrance wound in his shoulder. The blood is still leaking out but it’s slower than it was. It makes her wonder if he’s healing before her very eyes, not that she’s about to go poking at the wound to find out.

“How were you expecting it to end?” He asks with a touch of playfulness in his tone.

“Really you’re going to ask that while we’re surrounded by four men who just tried to rob us, one of which just tried to kill you.” She’s exasperated. She can’t help it. Now that the adrenaline is wearing off, she can’t find it in herself to be flirty. Darcy’s just tired. Which is a shame because she could just imagine how things would have ended if not for these four bozos deciding tonight was a lovely night to knock off some middle-class citizens for everything, they had on them.

“Sorry. It’s kind of a coping technique to focus on the regular while doing things that are not regular at all. Next time the team goes on a mission I’ll have you patched into the comms. You’d find some of the chatter something else entirely.”

“I think I’d rather not know in a real way that you’re getting shot at and have the potential to be critically wounded. Pretty sure that would be hell on my nerves and I’m about fifteen seconds from falling apart right now as it is.” She pauses and glances out the window straining to hear sirens or see flashing red and blue lights.

“Do you think we could just leave them gift-wrapped for the police and go home?” She doubts it, but Darcy can’t help the hopeful note that creeps into her voice.

“I wish we could, but we need to give our statements before going anywhere.” Turning he reaches out to wrap her hands in his and tugs her into his chest. His arms wrap around her hips and for a moment they just stand there breathing each other in and then Darcy starts to crumble because that was too real even for her world. Maybe not his, but far too real for hers and she doesn’t know how to handle it or where to put the things she’s feeling so she cries.

She sniffles and gulps and Steve rubs her back making soft shushing noises. The whole time she can’t work up the embarrassment that her long time crush is witness to an epic meltdown on their first date. Usually she waits until at least the third month before letting them see her cry. But maybe the fact that Steve has known her for years now, has been her friend for just as long makes it different. It is not the first time Captain America has seen her cry and it probably won’t be the last either.

“It’s okay Darcy, we’re okay. You’re in one piece and so am I.” She hiccups and looks up her mouth opening to say something, and he presses a finger to her lips and shakes his head, “I’m serious. If you hadn’t kicked that man, and it was a good kick, I could be dead on the floor right now. I’ll take a bullet to the shoulder any day over potential death.”

The words help a little, but she still wants to tell him that they should just go. The cops can handle it. Of course, they can every one of the thieves is disabled and restrained, they could leave, and no one would know the difference. Except they would, the rational part of her brain pipes up between sniffles. There were security cameras and there was no way to erase the images on them without setting the thieves free.

Darcy pulls back and takes a deep breath only to step further back. “That helps a little, so we’ll stay, but I’m going to need serious ice cream theory when we get home.”

Steve smiles and nods. “We can do that”

He pulls her back to him for one last hug giving her a squeeze around the shoulders They remain that way until the first police car rolls up with it’s red and blue lights casting shadows on the walls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that happened. I literally almost ripped it out thinking the whole last third or so of the chapter was cliche as hell, but I ended up keeping it because I really can't think of anything else to put there and I have come to dig it quite a bit. Next chapter is some lovely ice cream hurt/comfort and the return of Jane and Sam being sassy best friends. We're almost to the end guys, I'm kind of sad but at the same time excited that I'll have finished a fanfic.


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